Packaging for a food product

ABSTRACT

A package for containing a food product. The package has panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the package including a top panel, a bottom panel and a first side panel and a second side panel. At least one feature separates the package into a first portion and a second portion. The at least one feature extends at least in part through the top panel, the bottom panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel. At least one of the first portion and the second portion being shaped for holding at least a portion of the food product.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/693,551, filed on Jun. 24, 2005, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if presented herein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to packages for holding and dispensing food products. More specifically, the present invention relates to packages that hold a food product prior to cooking and are separable to allow access to the cooked food product.

Enclosed packages with dispensing features have been used in the past. Many such packages allow for the creation of dispenser openings by providing dispenser portions demarcated by tear lines. The dispenser portions can be wholly or partially separated from the package to create an opening in one or more panels of the package from which the food product can be removed from the package prior to cooking or after a cooking process has been completed. However, at least some existing packages are not separable to provide a food serving holder for holding the cooked food product. There is always a desire for packages that provide a new balance of properties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In general, one aspect of the invention is directed to a package for containing a food product. The package comprises panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the package. The panels comprise a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel. The package has at least one feature for separating the package into a first portion and a second portion. The at least one feature being positioned at least in part in the top panel, the bottom panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel. At least one of the first portion and the second portion is shaped for holding at least a portion of the food product.

In another aspect, the present invention is generally directed to a blank for forming a package for containing a food product. The blank comprises a plurality of panels comprising a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel. The blank has at least one feature is for separating the package formed from the blank into a first portion and a second portion. The at least one feature is positioned at least in part through the top panel, the bottom panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel. At least one of the first portion and the second portion is shaped for holding at least a portion of the food product.

In yet another aspect, the invention is generally directed to a method of preparing a food product. The method comprises providing a package containing the food product, the package having a plurality of panels including a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, a second side panel, and at least one feature positioned at least in part in the top panel, the bottom panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel. The food product is cooked in the package and the package is separated along the at least one feature to remove a first portion of the package from a second portion of the package and to access the cooked food product.

Other aspects, features, and details of the present invention can be more completely understood by reference to the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings and from the appended claims.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate the above stated advantages and other advantages and benefits of various additional embodiments reading the following detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the below-listed drawing figures. Further, the various features of the drawings discussed below are not necessarily drawn to scale. Dimensions of various features and elements in the drawings may be expanded or reduced to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank used to form a package according to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective of the package in a partially assembled configuration.

FIG. 3 is a back perspective of the package in the partially assembled configuration.

FIG. 4 is a perspective of the assembled package containing a food product.

FIG. 5 is a perspective similar to FIG. 4 but showing a ventilation panel in a raised position.

FIG. 6 is a perspective of the package with the food product removed and the package separated into two portions.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a blank used to form a package according to a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective of the package of the second embodiment containing a food product.

FIG. 9 is a perspective similar to FIG. 8 but showing a ventilation panel in a raised position.

FIG. 10 is a perspective of the package with the food product removed and the package separated into three portions.

Corresponding parts are designated by corresponding reference numbers throughout the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank, generally indicated at 1, used to form a package 3 (FIGS. 2-6) of a first embodiment of the invention. The package 3 can be used to hold a food product F (FIG. 5) such as a sandwich, pizza, calzone, turnover, burrito, or any other food product that may be packaged for heating and consumption by a consumer. The blank 1 has a longitudinal axis L1 and a lateral axis L2. The blank 1 includes a bottom panel 10 foldably connected to a first side panel 20 at a first lateral fold line 21, a top panel 30 foldably connected to the first side panel 20 at a second lateral fold line 31, and a second side panel 40 foldably connected to the top panel 30 at a third lateral fold line 41. First and second adhesive flaps 62, 64 are foldably connected to the bottom panel 10 at a fourth lateral fold line 11 and are be separated by a notch 66.

The bottom panel 10 is foldably connected to a first bottom end flap 12 and a second bottom end flap 14. The first side panel 20 is foldably connected to first side end flaps 22, 24. The top panel 30 is foldably connected to a first top end flap 32 and a second top end flap 34. The second side panel 40 is foldably connected to second side end flaps 42, 44. The flaps 12, 22, 32, 42 extend along a first marginal portion of the blank 1, and may be foldably connected along a first longitudinally extending fold line 96. The flaps 14, 24, 34, 44 extend along a second marginal portion of the blank 1, and may be foldably connected along a second longitudinally extending fold line 98. When the package 3 is erected, the flaps 12, 22, 32, 42 close a first end 35 of the package, and the flaps 14, 24, 34, 44 close a second end 45 of the package.

In the illustrated embodiment, the top panel 30 includes an arcuate opening 47 and two spaced apart tear lines 49, 51 extending from respective lateral edges of the opening. The top panel 30 includes a ventilation panel 55 between the tear lines 49, 51 and above the opening 47 that is moveable to a raised position (FIG. 5) to allow ventilation of the food product F during cooking. It is understood that the ventilation panel 55 may be located on other panels of the package 3 (e.g., the bottom panel 10, first side panel 20, second side panel 40), the package may have multiple ventilation panels, or the ventilation panel may be omitted from the package without departing from the scope of this invention.

The blank 1 includes a feature 50 that allows the assembled package 3 to be separated into a first portion 61 and a second portion 63 (shown in FIG. 6). In the illustrated embodiment, the feature 50 comprises a pattern of lines of disruption that comprises a first and second arcuate tear line 67, 69 in the top panel 30 extending from a respective longitudinal edge of the arcuate opening 47 to a respective lateral fold line 31, 41. The pattern 50 includes a first and a second longitudinal tear line 71, 73 in a respective one of the first side panel 20 and the second side panel 40. The pattern 50 includes a third arcuate tear line 75 extending between the lateral fold lines 11 and 21 in the bottom panel 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the blank 1 includes an arcuate fold line 77 generally parallel to and spaced apart from the third arcuate tear line 75 in the bottom panel 10. As discussed below in more detail, the arcuate fold line 77 forms a foldable flap 79 in the bottom panel 10 to facilitate separation of the first and second portions 61, 63 of the package 3 along the arcuate tear line 75. It is understood that the feature 50 may include the opening 47 or lines of disruption that are otherwise shaped and configured and the feature may include other separating features (e.g., other variously-shaped openings, cut lines, cut scores, etc.) or any other feature to facilitate separation of the first portion 61 and second portion 63.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the package 3 is formed from the blank 1 by folding along fold lines 11, 21, 31, 41 and adhering the first and second adhesive flaps 62, 64 to the side panel 40 to form a sleeve. In the illustrated embodiment, the first end 35 of the package 3 is closed by respectively overlapping and adhering the end flaps 12, 22 and side flaps 32, 34. The second end 45 of the package 3 is closed by respectively overlapping the end flaps 14, 34 and side flaps 24, 44. Once the blank 1 is formed into a sleeve, the food product F can be inserted into the package 3 from the first end 35 or the second end 45 and then the first and second ends can be closed. Alternatively, the food product F can be inserted into the package 3 after closing one of the first and second ends 35, 45 without departing from the scope of this invention.

A use of the package 3 during cooking and serving of the food product F will be described in the following, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. After the package 3 has been assembled as noted above, with the food product F contained therein, the package is prepared for cooking of the food product by grasping the ventilation panel 55 at the opening 47 in the front panel 30. The ventilation panel 55 is moved to the raised position of FIG. 5 by pulling up at the opening 47 and tearing the front panel 30 along tear lines 49, 51. It is understood that the ventilation panel 55 may be fully opened as shown in FIG. 5, or alternatively, the ventilation panel may be partially opened or remain closed as shown in FIG. 4 during cooking of the food product F.

After opening the ventilation panel 55, the package 3 is placed in a microwave oven (not shown), or other suitable cooking appliance, for heating and cooking the food product F. After the food product F is cooked, the package 3 is removed from the oven and the first and second portions 61, 63 of the package are separated. The separation of the first and second portions 61, 63 is achieved by tearing the package along the pattern 50 which may be accomplished by various methods. In one embodiment, the package 3 is grasped in a user's hand such that the user's thumb is pressed against the ventilation panel 55 (which has been returned to the lowered position of FIG. 4) and the other fingers of the user's hand are pressed against the bottom panel 10 generally along the arcuate tear line 75. The first portion 61 of the package 3 is separated from the second portion 63 of the package by applying pressure to the top panel 30 and bottom panel 10 to tear the package along the respective tear lines 67, 69, and 75 of the pattern 50. It is understood that the arcuate fold line 77, and the flap 79 formed thereby, aid in the separation of the bottom panel 10 along tear line 75 because pressure applied to the flap causes the flap to fold inwardly along the fold line and the bottom panel to separate at arcuate tear line. After separating the top panel 30 along the tear lines 67 and 69 and the bottom panel 10 along tear lines 75, the side panels 20, 40 are torn along respective tear lines 71, 73 to complete the separation of the first portion 61 from the second portion 63 of the package 3. The first portion 61 is removed and may be discarded while the second portion 63 acts as a holder for holding and containing the food product F for consumption by a user. Optionally, and particularly if the ventilation panel 55 has not been opened, the first portion 61 can be used to hold and contain the cooked food product F without departing from the scope of this invention.

FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of the present invention in the form of a blank 201 used to form a package 203 (FIGS. 8-10) for a food product P. The package 203 is similar to the package 3 of the first embodiment except that the package is separable into a first portion 261, a second portion 263, and a third portion 265 (FIG. 10.) Each of the second and third portions 263, 265 of the package 203 are shaped for at least partially holding the food product P after cooking the food product in an oven. The package 203 of the second embodiment is particularly useful for sharing pieces of the cooked food product P between two or more users by way of the second and third portions 263, 265 which can be used as serving containers for holding pieces of the cooked food products.

The blank 201 has a longitudinal axis L3 and a lateral axis L4 and comprises a bottom panel 210 foldably connected to a first side panel 220 at a first transverse fold line 221, a top panel 230 foldably connected to the first side panel 220 at a second transverse fold line 231, and a second side panel 240 foldably connected to the top panel 230 at a third transverse fold line 241. First and second adhesive flaps 262, 264 are foldably connected to the bottom panel 210 at a fourth transverse fold line 211, and are separated by a notch 266.

The bottom panel 210 is foldably connected to a first bottom end flap 212 and a second bottom end flap 214. The first side panel 220 is foldably connected to first side end flaps 222, 224. The top panel 230 is foldably connected to a first top end flap 232 and a second top end flap 234. The second side panel 240 is foldably connected to second side end flaps 242, 244. The flaps 212, 222, 232, 242 extend along a top marginal portion of the blank 201, and the flaps 214, 224, 234, 244 extend along a bottom marginal portion of the blank 201. When the package 203 is erected, the flaps 212, 222, 232, 242 close a first end of the package, and the flaps 214, 224, 234, 244 close a second end of the package.

In the illustrated embodiment, the top panel 230 has a ventilation panel 255 similar to that of the first embodiment. The top panel 230 includes an arcuate opening 247 and two spaced apart tear lines 49, 51 extending from respective lateral edges of the opening to form the ventilation panel 255. As with the previous embodiment, the ventilation panel 255 may be otherwise located in the package 203 or may be omitted without departing from the scope of this invention.

The blank 201 includes a feature, generally indicated at 250 in the form of a pattern, of lines of disruption that allows the first portion 261 to be separated from the second portion 263 and the third portion 265. In the illustrated embodiment, the pattern 250 is similar in shape as the pattern 50 of the first embodiment and includes a first and second arcuate tear line 267, 269 and the opening 248 in the top panel 230, a first and second lateral tear line 271, 273 in a respective one of the first side panel 220 and the second side panel 240, and a third arcuate tear line 275 in the bottom panel 210. The pattern 250 includes a fold line 277 spaced from the arcuate tear line 275 and forming a foldable flap 279 therebetween. As with the previous embodiment, the feature 250 can include other variously-shaped separating features to facilitate separation of the first portion 261 from the second portion 263.

The blank 201 includes a first lateral tear line 281 in the bottom panel 210 extending from the curved arcuate tear line 275 in the bottom panel 210 through the longitudinal fold line 298 and into the bottom panel end flap 214. A second lateral tear line 283 extends from the arcuate opening 247 in the top panel 230 through the longitudinal fold line 298 and into the top panel end flap 234.

The package 203 can be formed from the blank 201 in a similar manner as the first embodiment by folding along fold lines 211, 221, 231, 241 and adhering the first and second adhesive flaps 262, 264 to the side panel 240 to form a sleeve. An exemplary method of using the package 203 is described in the following. After cooking the food product, the first portion 261 of the package 203 is separated from the second and third portions 263, 265 by applying pressure to the top panel 230 and bottom panel 210 to tear the package along the respective tear lines 267, 269, 275 of the pattern 250. After separating the top panel 230 along the tear lines 267, 269 and the bottom panel 210 along the tear line 275, the side panels 220, 240 are torn along respective tear lines 271, 273 to complete the separation of the first portion 261 from the second and third portions 263, 265 of the package 203. The first portion 261 is removed and may be used as a serving container for the food product P or may be discarded. The second and third portions 263, 265 can be separated by tearing along the tear line 281 in the bottom panel 210 and the tear line 283 in the top panel 230. As shown in FIG. 10, the separated second and third portions 263, 265 of the package are shaped for at least partially holding the food product P and are particularly useful in providing multiple serving containers for a single food product that is cooked in the package 203. In the illustrated embodiment, the food product P is a pizza that may be separated into one or more slices that are placed in the second and third portions 263, 265 for serving. When used as food serving containers, the first and second portions 261, 263 serve to prevent spillage of the food item, and may also allow a consumer to safely and cleanly handle the heated food product P.

The blanks 1, 201 according to the present invention can be, for example, formed from coated paperboard and similar materials. For example, the interior and/or exterior sides of the blanks 1, 201 can be coated with a clay coating. The clay coating may then be printed over with product, advertising, price coding, and other information or images. The blanks 1, 201 may then be coated with a varnish to protect any information printed on the blank. The blanks 1, 201 may also be coated with, for example, a moisture barrier layer, on either or both sides of the blanks. In accordance with the above-described embodiments, the blank 1, 201 may be constructed of paperboard of a caliper such that it is heavier and more rigid than ordinary paper. The blanks 1, 201 can also be constructed of other materials, such as cardboard, hard paper, or any other material having properties suitable for enabling the packages 3, 203 to function at least generally as described above. The blanks 1, 201 can also be laminated to or coated with one or more sheet-like materials at selected panels or panel sections.

In accordance with the above-described embodiments of the present invention, a fold line can be any substantially linear, although not necessarily straight, form of weakening that facilitates folding therealong. More specifically, but not for the purpose of narrowing the scope of the present invention, fold lines include: a score line, such as lines formed with a blunt scoring knife, or the like, which creates a crushed portion in the material along the desired line of weakness; a cut that extends partially into a material along the desired line of weakness, and/or a series of cuts that extend partially into and/or completely through the material along the desired line of weakness; and various combinations of these features

As an example, a tear line can include: a slit that extends partially into the material along the desired line of weakness, and/or a series of spaced apart slits that extend partially into and/or completely through the material along the desired line of weakness, or various combinations of these features. As a more specific example, one type tear line is in the form of a series of spaced apart slits that extend completely through the material, with adjacent slits being spaced apart slightly so that a nick (e.g., a small somewhat bridging-like piece of the material) is defined between the adjacent slits for typically temporarily connecting the material across the tear line. The nicks are broken during tearing along the tear line. The nicks typically are a relatively small percentage of the tear line, and alternatively the nicks can be omitted from or torn in a tear line such that the tear line is a continuous cut line. That is, it is within the scope of the present invention for each of the spaced apart slits to be replaced with a continuous slit, a continuous score, or the like. For example, a cut line can be a continuous slit or could be wider than a slit without departing from the present invention. Also, a tear line can be a series of cut scores passing completely, or partially, through the material, that are separated by nicks.

The above embodiments may be described as having one or more panels adhered together by glue during erection of the package embodiments. The term “glue” is intended to encompass all manner of adhesives commonly used to secure package panels in place.

The foregoing description of the invention illustrates and describes the present invention. Additionally, the disclosure shows and describes only selected embodiments of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is capable of use in various other combinations, modifications, and environments and is capable of changes or modifications within the scope of the inventive concept as expressed herein, commensurate with the above teachings, and/or within the skill or knowledge of the relevant art. 

1. A package for containing a food product, the package comprising: panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the package, the panels comprise a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel and a second side panel; at least one feature for separating the package into a first portion and a second portion, the at least one feature being positioned at least in part in the top panel, the bottom panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel, at least one of the first portion and the second portion being shaped for holding at least a portion of the food product.
 2. The package of claim 1 where the at least one feature comprises a tear line having at least one arcuate portion in the top panel and at least one arcuate portion in the bottom panel.
 3. The package of claim 2 wherein the at least one feature further comprises an arcuate opening in the top panel, and the at least one arcuate portion in the top panel comprises a first arcuate portion and a second arcuate portion, each of the first and second arcuate portions extending from a respective side of the arcuate opening.
 4. The package of claim 2 wherein the tear line comprises a first longitudinal portion and a second longitudinal portion, the first longitudinal portion extending in a longitudinal direction in the first side panel, and the second longitudinal portion extending in the longitudinal direction in the second side panel.
 5. The package of claim 1 wherein the second portion of the package is a holder for holding the food product after removal of the first portion.
 6. The package of claim 5 wherein the second portion is divisible into at least two holders for holding at least a portion of the food product.
 7. The package of claim 6 wherein the package comprises a lateral tear line in the top panel and a lateral tear line in the bottom panel for at least partially forming the two holders.
 8. The package of claim 1 further comprising at least two end flaps respectively foldably attached to respective panels of the plurality of panels, wherein the end flaps at least partially form a closed end of the package.
 9. The package of claim 1 further comprising a ventilation flap in at least one of the panels for ventilating the package during heating of the food product.
 10. The package of claim 9 wherein the ventilation flap is defined between an opening in the at least one of the panels and two spaced apart tear lines for selectively opening the ventilation flap.
 11. The package of claim 10 wherein the opening is an arcuate opening and the tear lines are respectively adjacent the opening, the flap being moveable by grasping the package at the opening and tearing the at least one of the panels along the two tear lines.
 12. The package of claim 11 wherein the ventilation flap is in the top panel and the two spaced apart tear lines extend generally in a lateral direction.
 13. A blank for forming a package for containing a food product, the blank comprising: a plurality of panels comprising a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel; at least one feature for separating the package formed from the blank into a first portion and a second portion, the at lest one feature positioned at least in part in the top panel, the bottom panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel, at least one of the first portion and the second portion being shaped for holding at least a portion of the food product.
 14. The blank of claim 13 wherein at least one feature comprises a tear line having at least one arcuate portion in the top panel and at least one arcuate portion in the bottom panel.
 15. The blank of claim 14 wherein the at least one feature further comprises an arcuate opening in the panel, and the at least one arcuate portion in the top panel comprises a first arcuate portion and a second arcuate portion, each of the first and second arcuate portions extending from a respective side of the opening.
 16. The blank of claim 15 wherein the tear line comprises a first longitudinal portion and a second longitudinal portion, the first longitudinal portion extending in a longitudinal direction in the first side panel and the second longitudinal portion extending in the longitudinal direction in the second side panel.
 17. The blank of claim 13 further comprising at least two end flaps respectively foldably attached to respective panels of the plurality of panels, wherein the end flaps are for at least partially forming a closed end of the package formed from the blank.
 18. The blank of claim 13 further comprising a ventilation flap in at least one of the panels, the ventilation flap being defined between an opening in the at least one of the panels and two spaced apart tear lines for selectively opening the ventilation flap.
 19. The blank of claim 18 wherein the ventilation flap is in the top panel, the opening is an arcuate opening and the tear lines are respectively adjacent the opening extending generally in the lateral direction.
 20. A method of preparing a food product comprising: providing a package containing the food product, the package having a plurality of panels including a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, a second side panel, and at least one feature positioned at least in part in the top panel, the bottom panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel, cooking the food product in the package; separating the package along the at least one feature to remove a first portion of the package from a second portion of the package to access the cooked food product.
 21. The method of claim 20 further comprising at least partially opening a ventilation panel in at least one of the plurality of panels to provide ventilation of the food product during cooking.
 22. The method of claim 21 wherein the at least partially opening of the ventilation panel comprises tearing the top panel along a tear line to separate a portion of the top panel from the package.
 23. The method of claim 18 wherein at least one feature comprises a tear line, and separating the first portion from the second portion comprises tearing the package along the tear line.
 24. The method of claim 23 wherein the first portion is a top portion of the package and the second portion is a bottom portion of the package, and the method further comprises serving the food product in the bottom portion.
 25. The method of claim 20 further comprising forming a third portion of the package by dividing the second portion of the package into at least two parts, the second and third portions being capable of at least partially holding the food product.
 26. The method of claim 25 further comprising dividing the food product into pieces and holding at least one of the pieces in the second portion and the third portion.
 27. The method of claim 21 further comprising serving at least a portion of the food product in the second portion of the package after the first portion of the package has been removed from the second portion of the package. 